ACCI to establish Centre for action on business, human right violations
By Vivian Emoni
The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) says it is planning to establish a centre to help businesses align their services and activities with respect for human rights.
Mr Agabaidu Jideani, Director-General of the ACCI, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Jideani said that the chamber had started the process with the National Human Rights Commission, to establish the centre for business and human rights.
“What we intend to do with this centre is to ensure that businesses align their services and activities with the rights and respect for the people of the society in general.
“This is in line with the guidelines regarding the activities of businesses in general for national and international communities,’’ he said.
The ACCI boss said that the centre would be an African Continental Centre for Business and Human Rights.
He noted that the centre aimed to promote and support businesses in adopting responsible business practices that respect human rights.
“The centre will serve as a platform for joint action on business and human rights in Africa.
“There will also be a Dispute Resolution Centre for accessing remedies for human rights violations,” he said.
Jideani said that the centre would also serve as a hub for collaborative efforts on business and human rights issues across Africa.
He said that the Centre would offer a mechanism for individuals and groups to seek redress for human rights violations caused by businesses.
“The chamber has a national Dispute Dissolution Centre aimed at providing a platform for resolving commercial disputes efficiently and effectively.
“It also promotes business confidence and institutional trust.
“Its primary objective is to support ACCI members by offering accessible, timely, and cost-effective mechanisms for resolving disputes, thereby, contributing to a stable business environment.
“The centre promotes and protects trade, business and commerce, and its dispute resolution centre seeks to foster a conducive environment for trade and business,’’ he said.
He said the chamber also had a Business, Entrepreneurship, Skills, and Technology (BEST) centre, which is unique and created to empower individuals and organisations within the Abuja business community.
The ACCI boss said that the empowerment was offered through capacity development and world-class learning.
He said that its objectives was to improve business operations, enhance productivity, and promote skills development in entrepreneurship, technology, and vocational fields, focusing mainly on youths, women and the business community.
“This centre is very unique in the sense that our survey indicated that the requirements of industry are not being met by the outward products of our educational institutions.
“In order to close this gap, we established the BEST centre to provide training that will suit the industrial requirements, so that the educational positions and the industrial requirements are brought in sync.
“This way, the BEST centre provides a lot of training in vocational requirements and others.
“It also provides training, not just for members of the ACCI, but also for other interested stakeholders and the public service,” he said.
He also said that the ACCI had the National Advocacy Policy Centre (NPAC), which helps to advocate for business-friendly policies and promote economic development.
“Its importance lies in its ability to gather insights from industry experts and policymakers to inform policy decisions.
“The ACCI embraces and supports business persons who are interested in learning and expanding business,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman